Rwanda Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award
WARwanda founder and Managing Director, Christelle Kwizera, Was just awarded with the Rwanda 2019 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award (WEYA) by INCO.
The theme for this year's competition was " Environmental Preservation"
Through a 3 minute pitch and answering the Jury’s questions in the following 5 minutes, Christelle was able to wow the esteemed jury and win over the other talented enterprises who were pitching as finalists at this year’s Rwanda award.
Competition Finalists from left to right: Waka Waka, My Green Home, SmAgri Ltd, Starlight, Water Access Rwanda. Scroll to end for more pictures of the event.
The jury, from left to right: JC Nkulikiyimana (ED Agahozo Shalom), Frank Ntakirutimana (MINIYOUTH), Brian Walsh (LiquidNet), Nathalie Niyonzima (Inkomoko), Liana Nzabampema (Segal Family Foundation)
So how is WARwanda impacting the environment?
There is a long list, read on below.
Reducing Riverbank Activities
One, we are reducing the amount of activities being done at riverbanks and in wetlands. If you travel through rural sub-Saharan Africa, riverbanks are the favorite place to do laundry. By providing convenient access to clean water at a very affordable price near the house, we can switch this behavior and do more laundry at home, keeping the riverbanks intact and free from the different chemicals and detergents used during laundry.
2. Keeping Peace with Nature
If you follow us, you are probably familiar with the story of Mageragere. After three individuals were killed by crocodiles on their way to fetch water in the river Nyabarongo, INUMA kiosks have offered a secure fetching point that also provides clean water. 2 years on, there has been zero deaths from crocodiles
3. Reducing use of biomass in boiling water
Purified water does not need t be boiled. This reduces the amount of biomass used in boiling water and thus deforestation. Through our water for climate project, we estimate we will generate about 56,000 verified emission reduction every year. This ties into SDG 13, and SDG15 (particularly target 15.1 which deals with deforestation )
4. Affordable and Clean Water using Affordable and Clean Energy
The kiosk uses zero emission technology, increasing the percentage of infrastructure running on renewable energy (SDG Target 7.2)
5. Towards Zero waste
from using washable filter bags to providing water through pipelines without packaging, we're in for a plastic free world. (SDG 12.2)
Beyond this, WARwanda is making impact in creating decent work for young women and men, and substantially reducing the amount of time women spend on unpaid domestic work by cutting down the time spent on finding and treating water.
Representing Rwanda at the upcoming IMPACT2 World Forum is a daunting task, but we hope WARwanda will make Rwanda proud by winning the global award as well.
Your support and prayers leading up to March 28th will be greatly appreciated.
